Location: I live in on the Rosamond Skypark (CA) and am married to Victoria (Tuppergal).

Posts: 999

Rosie & Tuppergal's Colorado Whitewater Rafting Trip 2010

With a flying RV (keep poundin' rivets builders...), a three-day weekend can take you half way across the country if you are up for it
(and have good weather)! Tuppergal and I have always wanted to go whitewater rafting, and we decided to combine it with a trip to
visit Scott & Deb Mills and Gary & Carolyn Zilik who are based at Front Range (FTG) airport just southeast of Denver.

I took a few hours of vacation on Friday, 2 July 2010 and we departed the Rosamond Skypark (L00) around 1300 local. Our route at
13.5K (on O2) took us past Edwards AFB, over Las Vegas (with a view of Lake Mead) and into Bryce Canyon (BCE) for fuel, landing
after 2.4 hours;

We knew we'd have a little bit of weather (WX) west of Denver and started seeing some clouds shortly after departing Bryce Canyon.
Our planned routing was direct Grand Junction (GJT), Eagle VOR (DBL) then into FTG. This routing pretty much follows Interstate 70 (I-70).

As we neared DBL, the XM radio WX showed some showers over the area though the METARs were VFR for Eagle (EGE) and
surrounding airports;

I could either fly left or right of Eagle.... and decided on left as the terrain was 'flatter' rather than fly over the high terrain near Aspen.
The following pictures show the map course we took followed by a picture of what we saw once we made a right turn near Kremmling
VOR (RLG). Having XM Weather in the cockpit is well-worth the $$$!

As you can see from the difference in the TRACK, we turned about 066deg (and groundspeed also decreased). In this (85meg) clip,
you will see the picture below that shows you what it looks like in the real world). Note that 20V and RLG are both at Kremmling and EGE and DBL
are both at Eagle to match up the maps (they show different data at different scales);

The XM WX showed a 'window of opportunity' ahead past Kremmling airport (20V) so that's where we flew to (and as recommended
by Denver Center);

The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.